Of the campus Associated Students Organization, this quartet serves as leading ladies – Amezcua as president, Bachmann as vice president, Jack as finance director and Seyedin as student representative to the Board of Trustees.

At a recent meeting of the entire 25-member student senate, the four were almost the only ones to speak, asking and answering questions like they’ve been elected officials all their lives.

And to think theirs is a mix that exists almost accidentally.

Deciding separately last spring to vie for office, the women ultimately joined forces on a four-way slate at the urging of a mutual acquaintance and past ASO president who felt they’d work well together.

Apparently he was right.

Dubbing themselves VARC, an acronym based on their first names, the women campaigned on a girl-power platform and aimed to increase both voter turnout and ASO’s visibility.

Launching their own Facebook group, creating a logo and a My-

Space page, plus T-shirts and banners, passing out fliers (pink ones, natch), balloons and cookies, they accomplished all of the above.

The legacy they hope to leave behind is one of increased student engagement, heightened awareness of environmental issues and shared governance.

But today, as they’re mere months away from walking out the door and onto new adventures at four-year universities – all four will get their AA degrees in May – they’re reflecting on what they’ve gleaned as campus leaders and encouraging future students to follow in their footsteps.

“It actually motivates you to want to do more in school, to do everything better,” said Jack, 19, a 2006 South High alum who hopes to earn entrance to USC. “You’re so much more aware.”

“One of the weirdest things is when you realize that nothing you’re doing is for yourself,” said West High grad and gold-medal debater Amezcua, 19, who’s been offered a scholarship to Northern Arizona University but has her fingers crossed for the University of California, Berkeley.

“I think we spend so much time thinking we’re selfish beings and operating as such,” she continued. “But I wouldn’t be drawn to this if I didn’t care a lot about other people and want things to be better.”

“The overall lesson is be involved in something, even if it’s a club,” offered Arizona-born Bachmann, who’s also aiming for USC. “Involvement breaks the school down into a community, which makes it more enjoyable and more successful.”

Inspired by the success and passion of their soon-to-be predecessors, at least two new women are hoping to pick up wherever VARC leaves off.

Current senate members Megan McLean, 19, of Torrance, and Ivana Poste, 18, of San Pedro, intend to run for president and vice president, respectively.

It is so far unclear who may run to replace outgoing academic-affairs director Vince Armstrong, 21, one of two token males on ASO’s entire nine-member executive cabinet.

“I just think it’s really cool that El Camino is reflecting or paralleling the national field,” Bachmann continued. “This is a very diverse campus – I hear so many languages spoken in our office – and we have a predominately female-run organization. How great is that?”